Entry 7_20700457_DongSoo Joseph Rhee

Massive DSLR Boom in KOREA

Have you ever seen anyone walking around the downtown street with a comparevely big camera around their neck? Thesedays, it is not hard to spot a person with a DSLR camera. Only several years ago, DSLR camera was only for proffessional photographers. However, DSLR camera had been spread widely dectenly.





Two girls comparing eachother's picture


Let's look at the definition of DSLR camera first. DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. which means that you take picture of exactly what you see. Other Camera formats, such as RF, or TLR camera might have difference between what you see and what you take picture of. People prefer DSLR cameras over compact digital cameras, because they generally give people better picture, since they have bigger CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and benefit of changing lenses.


Then what is the reason for this rapid spread ? There are several reason for that.


First and the most important reason is the company's sterategic decision has been made. Back then the prior consumer and the target segment for DSLR camera was proffessional photographer group. Therefore, the price didn't have to be low, and the function and spec of the product had to be high-end. However, the frontier companies of the DSLR camera changed their target segments to the public, non-proffessional, ordinary people. Therefore, the various functions and specs which proffessionals need, could be removed, and that caused a huge amount of price cut-down. As a result, people were able to afford dslr camera at a relatively cheap price.

Secondly, the well developed internet system in Korea incited people to buy DSLR cameras. In korea, blog, and personal website is so easily found. And picture section is the most popular part of blogging. Because of the development of servers, the limitation of the volume of the data that can be uploaded is being increased alot. As a result, people started to look for better pictures. Also through the web, people had more easier access to the information of DSLR camera.


250,000 DSLR cameras were sold in the year of 2007, which is nearly 10% of total camera market in Korea. Analisists estimate that DSLR camera market will grow 0ver 20 ~ 25% than the last year.







There are no other markets where the DSLR cameras had been spread this rapidly, I believe this is the result of excellent management decision. It is the essential ability for the business man to find the new trend and make the right decision towards fast changing world.